Lagerstroemia plant named ‘PIILAG B3’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lagerstroemia  plant named ‘PIILAG B3’, characterized by its compact, rounded intermediate growth habit, reddish purple new growth, lustrous dark green foliage in summer, fuchsia-pink flowers, and resistance to powdery mildew and  Cercospora  leaf spot.

Genus and species of plant claimed: Lagerstroemia indica×L. fauriei.

Variety denomination: ‘PIILAG B3’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofLagerstroemia plant, botanically known as Lagerstroemia indica×L.fauriei, commonly known as crapemyrtle, and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘PIILAG B3’. ‘PIILAG B3’ is grown primarily as anornamental for landscape use and for use as a potted plant.

‘PIILAG B3’ originated from open-pollinated seed of Lagerstroemiaindica×L. fauriei ‘Gamad VI’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,161) growing inWatkinsville, Ga. The cultivar ‘PIILAG B3’ originated in 2008 and wasselected in a cultivated environment in Watkinsville, Ga. from theprogeny of this open-pollination by continued evaluation for growthhabit and foliage and flower characteristics.

Asexual reproduction of ‘PIILAG B3’ by stem cuttings in Watkinsville,Ga. since 2009 has shown that all the unique features of this newLagerstroemia, as herein described, are stable and reproducedtrue-to-type through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new cultivar ‘PIILAG B3’ have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withchanges in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘PIILAG B3’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘PIILAG B3’ as a new and distinct cultivar: 1.Compact, rounded intermediate growth habit; 2. Reddish purple newgrowth; 3. Lustrous dark green foliage in summer; 4. Fuchsia-pinkflowers; 5. Resistance to powdery mildew and Cercospora leaf spot.

Plants of ‘PIILAG B3’ differ from plants of the parent, ‘Gamad VI’,primarily in growth habit, flower color, and time of flowering. Plantsof ‘Gamad VI’ have a compact, mounded growth habit and produce deep redand purple flowers in early summer, whereas plants of ‘PIILAG B3’ havean overall larger, compact, rounded intermediate growth habit andfuchsia-pink flowers in mid-summer.

Plants of ‘PIILAG B3’ can be compared to the cultivar ‘Whit III’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 10,319), but differ in overall size, foliage color, andflower color. Plants of ‘PIILAG B3’ have a compact, rounded intermediategrowth habit, foliage that emerges reddish purple and matures tolustrous dark green, and fuchsia-pink flowers, whereas plants of ‘WhitIII’ have an overall larger growth habit, ruby red new growth thatmatures to purplish green, and red-purple flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the flower and foliagecharacteristics and the overall appearance of ‘PIILAG B3’, showing thecolors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colorreproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differslightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription which accurately describe the colors of the newLagerstroemia.

FIG. 1 illustrates the overall appearance of an established plant of‘PIILAG B3’ planted in the ground.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the new growth of ‘PIILAG B3’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thedescription were approximately two years old and were grown in 11.8 Lcontainers under outdoor conditions in Watkinsville, Ga. Colors aredescribed using The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.).

Botanical classification: Lagerstroemia L., cultivar ‘PIILAG B3’.Parentage: Female, or seed, parent: Lagerstroemia ‘Gamad VI’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 22,161). Male, or pollen parent: unknown (open-pollinated).Propagation: terminal cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer: about 21days at 32° C.

-   Plant description: Flowering shrub; compact, rounded intermediate    growth habit. Freely branching; lateral branches abundant without    pruning, resulting in fine-textured, dense habit.    -   -   Root description.—Numerous, fine, fibrous and well-branched.        -   Plant size.—The original plant, now about five-years-old in            the ground, is about 137 cm high from the soil level to the            top of the inflorescences and about 132 cm wide. First year            stems have a diameter of about 2.5 mm. First year stems have            length of 30.48 cm to 45.75 cm. Shape: squarish. Second year            and older stems have a diameter of about 5 mm or more.            Second year stems have length of 60.96 cm to 91.44 cm.            Shape: round.        -   Trunk diameter.—3.2 cm at the soil line. Color: N199B.        -   Internode length.—About 2 cm.        -   Strength.—Flexible when young, easily broken once mature.        -   First year stem color (young).—178B. Color (woody): 200D.        -   Second year and older stem color.—N199B.        -   Bark.—Exfoliates in strips beginning on second or third year            stems.-   Vegetative buds: Sub-opposite to alternate in arrangement,    imbricate, conical, with no pubescence.    -   -   Color.—178C.        -   Size.—About 2.5 mm in length and 1 mm in width.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Sub-opposite to alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture (upper and lower surfaces).—Glabrous and glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Venation color of emerging foliage (upper and lower            surfaces).—180A.        -   Venation color of fully expanded foliage (upper and lower            surfaces).—47A.        -   Color in developing foliage (upper surface).—185A.        -   Color in developing foliage (lower surface).—185B.        -   Color in fully expanded foliage (upper surface).—147A.        -   Color in fully expanded foliage (lower surface).—146B.        -   Petiole length.—About 2 mm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 1 mm.        -   Petiole color (upper and lower surfaces).—185B.        -   Pubescence.—None.-   Flower description: Flowers are produced from about June to    September in Watkinsville, Ga. An inflorescence is showy for about    two weeks, and individual flowers last about one day and are    self-cleaning. Flowers are lightly fragrant.    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Panicle. Panicle contains between 20 to            150 buds or flowers.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 12.7 cm.        -   Inflorescence width.—About 9.8 cm.        -   Peduncle.—About 10.5 cm in length, about 2 mm in diameter,            color is 178B, and no pubescence.        -   Individual flowers.—About 2.1 cm in height and 2.8 cm in            diameter.        -   Flower buds.—Length: about 7 mm; Diameter: about 7 mm;            Color: 51B. Unopened flower buds are globose with six            distinct lines of dehiscence where they split to reveal the            flower.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/quantity: single whorl of six fused            sepals. Length about 9 mm. Width: about 4 mm. Shape:            elliptical. Apex: acute. Margin: entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: smooth, glabrous. Color when opening, upper            surface: 157B. When opening lower surface: 145A. Fully            opened, upper surface: 157B. Fully opened lower surface 145A            slightly tinged with 63B.        -   Pedicels.—About 7 mm in length, about 1 mm in diameter, 178B            in color, and no pubescence.        -   Calyx.—About 8 mm in length, about 1 cm in diameter, 51B in            color on both surfaces, and no pubescence.-   Petals:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Usually 6 or 7 per flower.        -   Petal length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Petal width.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Petal shape.—Fan-shaped.        -   Petal apex.—Ruffled, rounded.        -   Petal base.—Sagittate.        -   Petal margin.—Undulate.        -   Petal texture (upper and lower surfaces).—Glabrous.        -   Petal color.—Upper and lower surfaces are 61B.-   Stamens:    -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—About 25 to 30 short stamens clustered            in the center, about 7 mm long, filament color is 1C, and            anther color is 14A. The short stamens are surrounded by 6            longer stamens, about 1.4 cm long, filament color is N57C,            and anther color is 14A. The stamens are not pubescent.        -   Pollen.—Produced in moderate quantities and is 13C in color            on the short stamens and 145A in color on the long stamens.-   Pistils:    -   -   Quantity.—One superior pistil per flower.        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Pistil length.—About 1.7 cm in length.        -   Stigma shape.—Round, about 1 mm in diameter.        -   Stigma color.—146D.        -   Style color.—180B and about 1.4 cm in length.        -   Ovary color.—8C and about 2 mm in diameter.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type/appearance.—Six-valved, dehiscent, broad ellipsoidal            capsule.        -   Length.—About 8 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 7 mm.        -   Immature color.—144A.        -   Mature color.—200C. Each capsule contains many seeds that            are about 5 mm long, 3 mm wide, and 200C in color.-   Plant hardiness:    -   -   Plant hardiness.—USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2012): Zone            6 to 9.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the claimed Lagerstroemia variety    grown in field and container trials have exhibited resistance to    powdery mildew and Cercospora leaf spot.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Lagerstroemia plant named ‘PIILAG B3’, asillustrated and described herein.